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Famous naturalist David Bellamy leads to Save Wales and UK rural heritage
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The new environment minister Jane Davidson is urging Wales to “stand up” for renewable energy and “buy into the technology that’s available”. Councillor Dai Lloyd Evans of Ceredigion has recently claimed that “the Cambrians are best for windfarms”.
On Sunday, July 8th, Professor David Bellamy, accompanied by the wilderness artist David Bellamy and Christine Lovelock, artist and daughter of scientist James Lovelock, headed a demonstration of over 150 people. Groups from across Wales united in Mid Wales to express their opposition to the threat of such gross, unnecessary and highly subsidised destruction of our rural heritage. Christine Lovelock (www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com) travelled from Devon to show support from England and there were four supporters from Scotland. Several demonstrators, including Professor Bellamy, wore t-shirts displaying “WINDFARMS DON’T HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. THEY KILL IT. STOP THE WINDSCAM NOW”.
The latest statistics available from the government regulator, Ofgem, show about 450 operating onshore wind turbines in Wales. Their total average output of intermittent electricity would need to be trebled merely to match the demand from the Anglesey Aluminium factory. It cannot replace the controllable, secure supply of electricity the factory needs in order to operate.
As David Howell and Dr Carole Nakhle recently wrote in their co-authoured book Out of the Energy Labyrinth, “… enthusiasts (and lobbyists enriched by subsidies) who have rushed into extensive wind farm developments will be seen in due course to have taken public opinion for a colossal ride …”.
Good planning is about balance. The irreparable ecological damage, loss of amenity and distressing divisions within communities caused by industrial wind turbines far outweigh any benefit of their insignificant and unreliable contribution to our energy needs. Their tiny, intermittent output of electricity and negligible CO2 savings cannot possibly justify the sacrifice of our most potent national symbol and finite resource – the magnificent landscapes of Wales and the United Kingdom.
Angela Kelly
Chairman, Country Guardian
Penlan
Llandeilo Graban
Builth Wells
Powys
LD2 3YX
Tel: 01982 560227
10 July 2007
Photo (courtesy Mike Pritchard): Left to right: Professor David Bellamy (in yellow jacket), Christine Lovelock, David Bellamy (wilderness artist and President of Powys Ramblers). See more photos of the demonstration on: www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com
